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EDWARDSVILLE – In the wake of damaging weekend storms in the Edwardsville area and throughout Illinois, the Edwardsville Fire and Police Departments are offering tips to help residents prepare for severe weather events. Volatile weather can occur at any time, but spring is often considered the height of the severe weather “season.” In Illinois, the majority of tornadoes have struck between April 1 and June 30, although there have been occurrences during other months in Edwardsville and the rest of the state. An essential step that residents should take is to monitor severe weather alerts, and arrange for emergency notifications via cellphone apps, weather radios or other means, said Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford. This is especially important during storms that hit during overnight hours. Residents are encouraged to sign up for Code RED, which provides customizable alerts in the event of an emergency or critical community event. It’s available through

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BETHALTO - To maintain compliance with and to reduce future training costs associated with the SAFE-T Act, the Bethalto Police Department has worked with Bethalto Public Works and local donors to build an in-house Defensive Tactics Training Room. "We believe it is the first of its kind in the region and that it will save thousands of dollars in training costs while providing officers advanced de-escalation and controlled tactics training that will allow them to better serve our community," Bethalto Police Chief Mike Dixon said. "I want to thank all the members of the Bethalto Public Works Department and Police Department who took part in the build." Chief Dixon also extended a big thank you to the Keister Family of “Keister & Associates,” and the Stassi Family of “Stassi Chiropractic and Wellness Center” for "making donations that in part made this facility possible."

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JERSEYVILLE - Four individuals have been charged with meth possession and other related charges over the past week, according to recent court filings from the Jersey County Circuit Clerk’s Office. Jason D. Wanick, 50, of Wood River, was charged with unlawful possession of between 15-100 grams of methamphetamine. He was charged with a Class 1 felony and his bail was set at $30,000. His preliminary hearing is set for April 5 at 1 p.m., and more information and updates on this case can be found here . Jon G. Deneef, 37, of Jerseyville, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, specifically “less than 15 grams of a substance containing heroin/fentanyl,” according to court documents. He was also charged with possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Deneef was charged with a Class 4 felony for the controlled substance charge and a Class 3 felony for the meth possession charge, His bail was set at $10,000. More information and updates

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Firefighter/Paramedic John Gooden is getting ready to celebrate five years of service with the department. He was appointed in April 2018. An Edwardsville native, Gooden attended Trinity Lutheran School and Metro-East Lutheran High School. Gooden had plenty of fire service and EMS experience when he came to the Edwardsville Fire Department. He previously served on the Hamel Volunteer Fire Department and attended Lewis and Clark Community College’s Fire Science program. Gooden also worked at Alhambra-Hamel Ambulance Service, where he obtained his paramedic license. John previously worked full-time at Staunton EMS, and worked part-time with Phillips 66 and in EMS for Glen Carbon, Highland, Maryville and Troy. “I like working for the Edwardsville Fire Department because every day is something new,” Gooden said. “My co-workers are awesome to work with, and I get to protect and serve the community that I grew up in.” John has bee

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Letter To The Editor: Why Should Students Go on Field Trips? Field trips are beneficial to students because they allow students to see how what they are learning is applied in the real world. Field trips also give students an opportunity to learn outside of the classroom, which may help keep the classroom routine from getting monotonous. The majority of field trips students are taken on are educational ones and allow students to see the way that the world works outside of the classroom. Field trips give students the opportunity to see how what they are learning will apply to them when they are out of school. It can give them an idea of things that they may want to do when they have completed school and can also give them an opportunity to see how other people live their lives. Students may not be aware of all of the cultural implications of certain jobs and industries, and field trips give them the opportunity to see these implications. Field trips are also ideal for students

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Friday, March 17, 2023, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued “at large” warrants on suspect Zachary Myers, 34 years of age, of the 15400 block of Jost Main Street in Florissant, Missouri 63034, for DWI – Death of a Another. Myers was taken into custody on March 30, 2023. A booking photo of Myers is attached. Myers is being held on $100,000 cash only, no 10%, bond. The probable cause statement reads: Defendant was operating a motor vehicle Northbound on New Halls Ferry Rd. in St. Louis County. The Defendant was traveling approximately 60mph on this 40 mph Rd. The Defendant crossed the double yellow lines and struck Victim vehicle head on. Victim was taken to the hospital and died as a result of this collision. Defendant admitted operating the motor vehicle. Defendant stated either a deer or dog ran in front of his vehicle causing him to swerve. Witness saw Defendant veer left into oncoming traffic, and did not see any

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ALTON - Mississippi Valley Christian School participated in the annual Illinois Association of Christian Schools Academic and Fine Arts Competition in Schaumburg on March 16-17 th . The students of MVCS earned an impressive nine state championships: Olivia Allen-Landscape Photography, Oral Interpretation of Scripture Speech; Tommy Kunz-Accounting, U.S. History Knowledge; Gray Sapp-Old Testament Bible Knowledge; Jessica Snyder-Polychromatic Drawing; Timothy Vaughn-Creative Poetry Writing, Expository Essay Writing, and Humorous Interpretation Speech. The twenty-two participating MVCS students brought home an additional nine State Runner-Up and three State Third Place wins in other speech, art, and academic testing categories. The state champions will now advance to the National American Association of Christian Schools Competition next month at Bob Jones University in South Carolina.

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EDWARDSVILLE - Spring is officially here, which means the grass is getting greener and flowers are beginning to bloom. But as the seasons change, you may realize your yard could use a facelift before it’s time to start entertaining and hosting. Joe’s Market Basket is educating people on how to get your yard in top condition this spring. “The temperatures are finally getting warmer so now is the time when people start to visualize their yard and garden as a spring oasis,” said General Manager Andy Klos. “If you are beginning to prepare for those days of hosting and spending time outside, the first step is to start by cleaning up your yard by removing weeds, debris, broken tree branches or any sign of neglect. Beginning with a clean slate can help make the planting and gardening phase a lot simpler.” Klos said getting your garden bed ready for planting is key to having a successful garden. He recommends Scotts® 4 Step Program, an easy-to-follow

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CHICAGO - Following tornadoes and severe storms that struck throughout Illinois Friday night, Attorney General Kwame Raoul today warned Illinois residents to be on alert for scammers looking to exploit homeowners and business owners who may be in need of repairs from storm-related damage. Raoul cautioned residents that scammers often move quickly into communities to take advantage of people with damage to their homes or businesses. Raoul noted these “storm chasers” use the opportunity to pressure people into making quick and often expensive decisions about cleanup and construction work. Raoul also warned residents that scam artists may be operating as public adjusters who offer “free” inspections to submit a claim to property owners’ insurance companies. “We have too often seen scammers take advantage of the devastation caused by tornadoes or other natural disasters and use it as an opportunity to line their own pockets,” Raoul said. “As

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CARLINVILLE - March marked a triumphant return for one of Blackburn College's most beloved events, Science Day. Three hundred junior and senior school students from 13 schools across the region traveled to the Carlinville campus to showcase their science knowledge with the hope of winning individual Blackburn scholarships. Each school also competes as a group to earn recognition and cash prizes in three scientific categories. The College awarded more than $15,000 to winning participants and top schools during the March 17 event. The competition began with participants taking biology, chemistry, or physics exams. The high school students then have the opportunity to experience college-level psychology, computer science, biology, and chemistry courses as they participate in breakout demonstrations. Throughout the day, professors and Blackburn students working the event observe the aptitude and participation of each high school student. "During the event, I heard participants

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CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today led every member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to President Biden urging the White House to grant Governor JB Pritzker’s request for federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for five counties. The letter follows tornadoes, high winds, hail, and flash floods that caused widespread damage across Boone, Crawford, DuPage, Marion, and Sangamon Counties and led to four fatalities. “We write in support of Governor JB Pritzker’s request for federal assistance for Boone, Crawford, DuPage, Marion, and Sangamon Counties in Illinois, to recover from tornadoes and severe weather that occurred this past weekend,”wrote the lawmakers. “Governor Pritzker has indicated that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that effective response and recovery is beyond the combined capability of the state

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ALTON - Congratulations to Leighanne Smith (center) of Respiratory Therapy, who is Alton Memorial Hospital’s April Employee of the Month. Leighanne received the award on April 3 from AMH President Dave Braasch and Penny Krause, manager of Respiratory Therapy. The nomination from an anonymous co-worker said, “While rounding on MCU today, Leighanne stopped to update a nurse on a COVID patient. She explained what she had done and what they could do as a team to improve the respiratory status of this patient. It struck me what a team player she is. I commented how great this was and the nurse told me how many COVID patients Leighanne had helped. She has demonstrated service excellence, leadership, strategic thinking, and personal accountability.”

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation is once again asking the public to be on the alert for crews picking up litter and to Think Before You Throw! As part of an ongoing awareness campaign, IDOT is mobilizing litter pickup operations this spring and encouraging you to be part of the solution in keeping roadsides and communities free of unnecessary trash and debris. “As one of the largest landowners in the state, the Illinois Department of Transportation takes great pride in making sure we are keeping our state as clean and free of clutter as possible, but we need your help,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Excess garbage on highways can be easily avoided. Dispose of garbage properly. Make sure loads are properly secured and covered to keep debris and other trash from winding up on the roads. Litter has consequences: Think before you throw!” The Think Before You Throw! initiative aims to reduce roadside litter by raisin

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SPRINGFIELD - A bill that would equalize the value of major course credits at all Illinois higher education institutions reducing the time and money students spend towards earning a degree has unanimously passed out of the Illinois Senate. SB2288 strengthens the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) Act (110 ILCS 152) by requiring public colleges and universities to accept all major courses approved for transfer through IAI as equivalent major courses, as long as a specific major is offered at the receiving institution. Under current law, 4-year institutions can accept IAI major courses as either direct course equivalents or as elective credits. As a result, some students transferring to a public university must repeat courses already completed at a community college level in order to complete a degree at the university level. “Students that earn major coursework credit at a community college should not have to spend more precious time and money to re-earn the same

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JERSEYVILLE - As part of the City’s long-term Capital Improvement Plan, increased recreational opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages are a key priority. The Lion’s Club/Wittman Park complex is centrally located within Jerseyville, and has a variety of current offerings from playground equipment to picnic shelters to a walking trail. The City Council recognized the need to add new amenities to be enjoyed for many years to come. The first phase of the park’s transformation was completed last year – the NFC outdoor fitness court, three new pickleball courts, rehab of two basketball courts, parking/sidewalk/drainage upgrades, landscaping improvements, and related lighting and security improvements. Recently, the City received a huge boost to the next phase of its planned improvements at Lion’s Club/Wittman Parks, with the receipt of $600,000 in grant funding from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ FY 2023 Open Space Lands Acquisition

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JERSEYVILLE - The City of Jerseyville received $1,000,000 in grant funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for improvements to Hollow Avenue, as part of FHWA’s Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) funding initiative, and one of only ten projects awarded in the United States for that grant cycle. As part of the City’s long-term Capital Improvement Plan, the safe and efficient movement of residential and commercial traffic are key priorities. The Hollow Avenue improvement project involves reconstructing an old, deteriorated asphalt roadway with a modern compacted concrete pavement including curb-and-gutter and related subgrade improvements, widening, storm sewer/drainage improvements, and the addition of an ADA-compliant sidewalk extension. These improvements will enhance safety for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The compacted concrete pavement allows for lower cost of installation and a faster construction delivery schedule, while providing a high-strength

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GLEN CARBON – For its second year, the Village of Glen Carbon will be having a tree giveaway event at its Public Works building on Saturday, April 15. This initiative coincides with the Village’s “Glen Carbon Grassroots” Campaign that supports a wide variety of environmental, green space, habitat and/or energy projects in the Village. The Village was also recently awarded the St. Louis Green Business Award for its environmental accomplishments and innovations. The tree giveaway is happening from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 15, at the Village’s Public Works Department located at 153 N. Main Street, Glen Carbon. Approximately 500 native, conservative grade, bare-root trees will be available to Glen Carbon residents for planting on their home’s private property. Height of the bare-root trees are under 3’ tall so they can be easily picked up and transported in any vehicle. The trees being distributed include Bald Cypress, Northern Pecan,

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ALTON - The new Alton Piasa Park Redevelopment Project has created an abundance of energy toward the City of Alton itself, the National Scenic Byway, and tourism in the region. The Alton Piasa Park Redevelopment Project was explained at an unveiling event at the Alton City Hall Council Chambers last week, hosted by CEO/President Cory Jobe and the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau. The much-anticipated project calls for the redesign and redevelopment of Piasa Park – home to the painting of the Piasa Bird on the limestone bluff walls - and a new state-of-the-art Byway Discovery Center. The $10 million project is funded by a Capital Bill Grant received by the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau to create and enhance product development along the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway in Alton and Hartford. The Bureau also manages the 33-mile scenic byway which runs from Hartford to Pere Marquette State Park. The new park redevelopment project will include a bywa

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EDWARDSVILLE - Representatives from the Madison County Child Advocacy Center and other local organizations and offices joined together in the Madison County Administration Building to kick off Child Abuse Prevention Month on March 31. Maureen Schuette, an associate judge in the Family Division for Madison County, said April has been observed as Child Abuse Prevention Month every year since 1983. “Since that time, billions of Americans have participated in this national campaign,” Schuette said. “Individuals, organizations, and committees across the United States plant pinwheels, they also tie ribbons, organize trainings, and host fundraisers and other activities to celebrate healthy, happy childhoods.” She added that they raise awareness that “all children deserve to grow up in nurturing and safe homes,” and recognized some of the people at the event, including: Chief Circuit Judge Stephen Stobbs Circuit Judge Amy Sholar, who also runs the Madison

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced criminal charges against a St. Clair County man over the alleged possession, purchase and sale of purported stolen retail merchandise including tools, electronics and lawn equipment in the estimated amount of $243,000. The charges are the latest resulting from a multi-jurisdictional investigation facilitated by Raoul’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force. Raoul’s office charged Christopher D. Odem, 50, of Belleville, Illinois, with Class 2 felony organized retail crime, punishable by up to seven years in prison; two counts of Class 1 felony theft, each punishable by up to 15 years in prison; three counts of Class 2 felony theft, each punishable by up to seven years in prison; Class 3 felony theft, punishable by up to five years in prison; and Class 1 felony money laundering, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. “The effects of organized retail crime are not limited to any one region of Illinois. Buying and

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